Japanese verb · u-verb · first needed at elementary level (A2)
待つ
matsu
to wait
What you wait for takes (o): (tomodachi o matsu), to wait for a friend. The causative (mataseru) means “to keep someone waiting”.
Present
現在形
Now, habits and the future. The plain form is for friends and family; polite ～ます is the default.
| plain | 待つmatsu | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | 待ちますmachimasu | |
| plain negative | 待たないmatanai | |
| polite negative | 待ちませんmachimasen |
Past
過去形
What happened, or what has happened. The plain form is for friends and family; polite ～ました is the default.
| plain | 待ったmatta | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | 待ちましたmachimashita | |
| plain negative | 待たなかったmatanakatta | |
| polite negative | 待ちませんでしたmachimasen deshita |
Te-form
て形
Joins actions and builds requests. (matte imasu) is “I'm waiting”; (chotto matte) is a casual “wait a moment”.
| te-form | 待ってmatte | |
|---|---|---|
| -te imasu (doing now) | 待っていますmatte imasu | |
| -te kudasai (please do) | 待ってくださいmatte kudasai | |
| -te mo ii desu ka (may I) | 待ってもいいですかmatte mo ii desu ka |
Volitional
意向形
Let's: the plain form between friends, ～ましょう in polite speech. ～ましょうか suggests (shall we?) or offers help (shall I?).
| plain (let's) | 待とうmatō | |
|---|---|---|
| polite (let's) | 待ちましょうmachimashō | |
| polite (shall we?) | 待ちましょうかmachimashō ka |
Potential
可能形
Can wait: (ato gofun matemasu ka), can you wait five more minutes?
| plain | 待てるmateru | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | 待てますmatemasu | |
| plain negative | 待てないmatenai | |
| polite negative | 待てませんmatemasen |
Causative
使役形
Keeping someone waiting. (omatase shimashita) means “sorry to have kept you waiting”; being kept waiting is (matasareru).
| plain | 待たせるmataseru | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | 待たせますmatasemasu | |
| plain negative | 待たせないmatasenai | |
| polite negative | 待たせませんmatasemasen |
Conditional
条件形
If: ～ば for general conditions, ～たら for “if” and “when, once”, ～なければ for “if not”.
| -ba | 待てばmateba | |
|---|---|---|
| -tara | 待ったらmattara | |
| -nakereba (if not) | 待たなければmatanakereba |
Examples
- 駅で友達を待っています。Eki de tomodachi o matte imasu.I'm waiting for a friend at the station.
- すみません、ちょっと待ってください。Sumimasen, chotto matte kudasai.Excuse me, please wait a moment.
- お待たせしました。Omatase shimashita.Sorry to have kept you waiting.